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Possible Soil Contamination At Old Salt Mine Site
SENECA LAKE (WENY)-- A local environmental database firm is publishing information regarding concerns about oil contamination at an old salt mine on Seneca Lake. Walter Hang from Toxics Targeting told us today that a now-banned practice involved injecting toxic fuel into an old salt mine, to protected the it from dissolving towards the earth's surface. He claims this outdated practice could be the reason for oil contamination of Seneca Lake.
"No one knew where this oil was originating until Crestwood U.S Salt kindly wrote me, and that's how come this is a very important disclosure of a historic legacy of toxic contamination that the community never knew about," says Hang.
Walter Hang says he received a letter from Crestwood U.S. Salt earlier this month, that identified a technique called oil padding, that is no longer used - although it was a common practice back in the 1970's. In 1975, a well owned by International Salt Company contained 40-thousand gallons of number two fuel oil. In February of that year, there was an incident that led to oil getting into Seneca Lake. In 1995, NYSEG discovered contaminated soil in the same area. Hang says once this oil is in the ground, it's virtually impossible to get out. That's why he wrote Governor Cuomo a letter, asking to investigate other wells along the Seneca Lake area.
"The question is: are any of the other wells leaking, and are they also polluting Seneca Lake, the source of drinking water for the local residents," Hang says.
Hang says the contamination is attributed to the oil padding technique, which was once commonly used. This is a method involving fuel injections into salt mines to keep the roof from collapsing.
WENY reached to Crestwood, which took over the property in 2008. They tell us the #49 well, where the 1975 spill originated, is in no way connected to their proposed L-P-G storage project.
In a statement, Vice President Brad Bacon says-"The DEC staff has called out opponents of propane storage for referencing facts and principles that are unproven or irrelevant. The fact is, the DEC has all of this information at its dispoal, and its experts undeniably support the mertis of our propane storage proposal."
For DEC letters regarding Crestwood's Propane Storage Project, click on this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ckroywfgoo5snl/August 22 2016 LPS to CALJ%5B8%5D%5B12%5D%5B2%5D.PDF?dl=0 or this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1b9oo1jd5d1nqab/DEC reply brief%2C Finger Lake LPG Storage.pdf?dl=0.
For more information about the 1975 spill, click on this link: http://toxicstargeting.com/MarcellusShale/documents/2016-09-20/salt-co-fuel-oil-padding-spill
DEC Documents Reveal Undisclosed Oil Leaks Into Seneca Lake in 1975
Seneca Lake is one of the most popular tourist destinations in New York.
"Oh it's beautiful; absolutely amazing," said Aaron Whitinger.
Amazing: the way local environmental advocates want to keep it. On Thursday, they raised concerns about potential contaminants in the lake.
"Forty thousand gallons of No. 2 fuel oil," said Walter Hang of Toxics Targeting.
Toxics Targeting has released old documents that reveal 40,000 gallons of fuel oil was injected into a salt mine outside of Watkins Glen. According to the documents, the oil may have leaked into the lake in 1975.
"Now we know that some of these spills impacted the lake," said Hang. "This is a very remote area, so people may not have noticed the oil was present."
The leak was a result of a practice known as oil padding, which was common at that time, but is no longer used. The information was not disclosed to the public, though the DEC was aware of the leak.
Crestwood LP, the company that took ownership of the salt mine in 2008, said in a statement, "The DEC staff has called out opponents of propane storage for referencing facts and principles that are unproven or irrelevant. The fact is, the DEC has all of this information at its disposal, and its experts undeniably support the merits of our propane storage proposal."
They call the allegations irrelevant since the alleged spill occurred 40 years ago. But Toxics Targeting says that, since 1975, there have been several other spills, including as recently as 2003.
"If there are persistent sources of oil, they've gotta be cleaned up," said Hang.
Seneca Lake is the largest of the Finger Lakes, and the deepest lake in New York State. It's also the main source of drinking water for people living in Watkins Glen.
"This is an incomparable lake. This is one of the most famous and most valuable bodies of water in the entire world, and it warrants the highest level of protection. There should be absolutely no degradation of water quality in Seneca Lake," said Hang.
In the meantime, Toxics Targeting has asked Governor Andrew Cuomo to implement stricter laws aimed at protecting the lake from harmful contaminants.
The well where the 1975 spill originated is not connected to Crestwood LP's proposed LPG storage project.
Environmentalists 'hammering away,' opposing fuel pipelines through New York state
Opponents of a pipeline expansion that would flow through vast portions of New York want the Cuomo Administration to deny a key permit that could halt the upgrade.
The New Market Dominion pipeline is one of a dizzying array of fuel pipelines that flow through New York, in many cases taking natural gas from hydrofracking sites in other states to markets in New York and other places.
The pipeline, which is largely regulated by the federal government, is trying to expand its capacity and to build more powerful compressor stations at three sites along its route in the Southern Tier and Central New York.
But opponents says Governor Cuomo’s Department of Environmental Conservation has the power to shut the project down, because the pipeline company needs the DEC to sign off on a key water quality certification, as well as three air quality permits for the upgrades to the compressor stations.
Walter Hang, with the Ithaca-based Toxics Targeting, said his group already found instances where the existing pipeline violated state pollution standards. He said the state environmental agency should issue a new certification.
“Unfortunately the existing pipeline has already caused enormous water quality violations that were never cleaned up to state standards,” said Hang.
There’s already precedent for the state to reject the water quality permits. Cuomo’s environmental agency earlier this year denied a similar water quality certification for the Constitution pipeline, which was to be a newly-constructed line stretching across vast sections of Upstate New York.
Hang is one of the leaders of the anti-fracking movement that led to a ban on hydrofracking in New York State in late in 2014. He said he and others are turning up the heat on the Cuomo Administration during an extended public comment period that ended September 12th, writing letters and making phone calls.
“We’re just hammering away,” said Hang who said Cuomo’s claims as a climate change activist are in jeopardy if he issues the permits.
Hang said his group is seeking a “moratorium” on all fossil fuel project approvals anywhere in New York.
Dominion is not asking for a new pipeline, but instead requesting approval for an upgrade.
Lisa Marshall, who lives in Horseheads said that still means a big change. She said the new line would carry up to 112 million cubic feet of gas per day. “If you can imagine a football field a half a mile into the air, that’s the volume of gas they’re talking about,” Marshall said.
Marshall lives just a few blocks from the Horseheads compressor station. She said 50 homes, two day care centers, a group home for disabled people and many elderly citizens live within half a mile of the site. “A lot of them are concerned about safety, they’re concerned about the noise, ” Marshall said. “They’re concerned about their property values.”
Marshall said she and other advocates have learned, through the fracking fight, that applying political pressure can work. “If the governor hears us and feels like there’s enough of us that are upset about this, then maybe he’ll do something,” Marshall said. “That’s our hope.”
A spokesman for the Department of Environmental Conservation said the proposal does not involve building a new pipeline, and instead seeks to “modify an existing compressor station,” and create two new ones.
Spokesman Sean Mahar said the public comment period was already extended to “ensure the public had adequate opportunity” to help the environmental agency in its review. And he said all comments will be “considered prior to making any final determination.”
There’s currently no exact timetable on when a decision will be made.
Tompkins requests public hearing on Dominion pipeline
The former CNG Transmission Station on Ellis Hollow Creek Road, now owned by Dominion. The station has been the site of a petroleum spill of unknown scope, according to new data.
(Photo: NICK REYNOLDS / Staff Photo)
Tompkins County legislators voted Tuesday to request a public hearing discussing the Dominion New Market Pipeline project.
The project would involve the expansion of its existing pipeline systems in New York as well as construction and modification of compressor stations. The 200-mile natural gas pipeline passes through Tompkins County and includes the Borger Compressor Station at 219 Ellis Hollow Creek Road. The Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting public comments until Monday regarding draft air discharge permits.
The issue drew dozens of people to the Tompkins legislature meeting Tuesday, and 16 people spoke in support of the resolution. Local residents opposed to the pipeline voiced concerns about environmental and safety hazards of the pipeline and urged Tompkins County legislators to go further and oppose the project.
The legislature voted unanimously to request the DEC to hold a public hearing.
Walter Hang, president of Toxics Targeting, called on legislators to oppose the pipeline because it would cause additional toxic pollution hazards in Tompkins County and across New York, he said. Hang also said the pipeline would also "help perpetuate America's addiction to fossil fuels" and contribute to global climate change.
"The key thing is, I urge you to take action now because the deadline for comment is ending (Sept.) 12th," Hang said.
At a press conference in early August, Hang told reporters that a number of petroleum spills at several transmission stations along the pipeline's route from Horseheads to Schenectady — including two in Dryden — could put the project in jeopardy as it violated the Clean Water Act. Hang said the spills that occurred on the sites have not been cleaned up.
However, Dominion Transmission disagreed with Hang's claim, saying no sites in New York need cleanup. Dominion Transmission said in a statement that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the project in April after evaluating all environmental, health and safety concerns associated with the project.
Regi Teasley said Tompkins County should oppose the pipeline to show leadership on issues of climate change. Other local residents said if legislators opposed the pipeline, it would be consistent with their actions over the years regarding fossil fuels and sustainability.
Ultimately, legislators did not add an amendment opposing the project. Many legislators agreed with Dooley Kiefer, D-Cayuga Heights, who said opposing the pipeline would complicate the county's request for a public hearing.
"They would certainly not schedule a public hearing when we've already told them where we stand," Kiefer said. "But I think requesting a public hearing is exactly what we should be doing. ... That does not mean that individuals legislators cannot, as individuals, comment."
Carol Chock, D-Ithaca, moved to add two amendments to the resolution requesting more studies be done. The first study would look at the capacity of the pipeline segments in Tompkins County to see if it could withstand the proposed increased volume and pressure before any permit is issued. The second amendment calls on the DEC to study greenhouse gas emissions along the length of proposed pipeline in New York State, "including carbon equivalents from methane and utilizing recent scientific evidence regarding methane leakage, as has been done in the 2016 Tompkins County Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory."
Both amendments unanimously passed, as did the full resolution requesting a public hearing.
Three public hearings have passed, but members of the public can still file written comments to the NYS DEC. All comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically by fax or email no later than Monday. Contact: Christopher M. Hogan, NYS DEC - Division of Environmental Permits, 625 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12233-1750, Phone: (518) 402-9151, Fax: (518) 402-9168, Email: NewMarketProject@dec.ny.gov.
